Gratitude for the Journey (So Far)

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Hi everyone,

As we head into the final stretch of the year, I’m inviting you to join me for a month of slowing down, appreciating the partnership, and grounding yourself before the new year begins. December is the perfect time to breathe, reflect, and reconnect with the heart of why we ride.

Yesterday I was riding a horse that no one wants to ride, or lead, or really do anything with. Maybe he’s not even a horse—maybe he’s more of a spirit guide who can look straight through a person. (Just kidding… well, sort of.) 

But as I was riding him, with all of his quirks, his honesty, and his intensity, I found myself thinking about the theme for this week:

Gratitude for the Journey So Far

We spend so much time trying to get better—better rides, better timing, better communication—that we sometimes forget to pause and appreciate the path we’ve already walked with our horses.

This week, I invite you to take a quiet moment and reflect on your past year with your horse:

• What were your highlights?
• What breakthroughs surprised you?
• What quiet moments softened you?
• And most importantly, what have you learned from your horse?

There’s something grounding about acknowledging not just the polished pieces of progress, but the messy ones too—the days when nothing went right, the days when your horse taught you patience, or humility, or humor, or simply the value of trying again tomorrow.

Inspired Learning

To set the tone for this month, I signed up to watch a Mark Rashid seminar on Understanding the In-Bred Horse and I’m excited to hear he’s collaborating for a new book next summer! He’s long been one of my favorite horsemen—thoughtful, patient, and always encouraging riders to listen first, act second. His work always brings me back to a sense of appreciation for the horse and the process (and a quick punch I love the Rocking S Snaffle shown below that he developed.. most all my horses go in)

And while we’re talking about great horsemen, I also highly recommend anything by Tik Maynard—his clinics, books, and podcasts consistently offer a grounded, curious, and deeply respectful approach to horsemanship that aligns beautifully with this month’s theme.

As we ease into December, I hope you find small moments of gratitude with your horse—whether that’s a good ride, a breath of calm, or simply a quiet moment in the barn aisle.

Here’s to slowing down, reconnecting, and honoring the journey so far. Next post I’ll break down my reflection on these things.. excited to share everything with you.

xx - P

#minfulnesshorsemanshipjourney #seethebeautyaroundyou #gratitudeforthejourney